This invention relates to coolant pumps for use in internal combustion engines, and of the kind comprising a body adapted to be fixed to an engine block as a cover for a cavity therein, an impeller mounted on a shaft journalled in said body for location in said cavity, bearing means in the body journalling said shaft, drive means for the shaft for example a pulley or gear on the end of the shaft opposite to that provided with the impeller, and a seal between the impeller and the body which may, and often does, according to the design of the seal allow minute bleed or leakage of coolant from the cavity to wet the seal surfaces. It will be appreciated that the cavity forms a pump chamber, and has appropriate passages communicating with the cavity as inlet and outlet for the pump. Thus, the pulley is outside the body, the bearing is between the pulley and impeller, and the seal is between the bearing and the impeller.
The problem with pumps of the mentioned kind is that the minute leakage of coolant is apt to be misinterpreted by mechanics. This leakage is inherent, as is mentioned, in order to wet the seal faces, and excess leakage of coolant evaporates due to engine heat. When the engine is cold, and evaporation does not occur, the leakage may be seen.